News : Iranian opposition

Participation of 60 professional killers of Maliki’s Golden Division in the massacre

and coordination with Iraqi army and police at the highest levels

In statement no. 23, the Iranian Resistance disclosed part of details of the September 1st massacre in Ashraf. Below, further details on this crime that vividly reveals the role of Iraq’s prime ministry are given:

1. Sixty men in the assaulting force belonged to Maliki’s special division called “Golden Division”. This division is composed of professional killers and Americans call it “Dirty Division”.

2. On Saturday, August 31, Major General Jamil Shemeri, Commander of Diyala Police, sent a number of officers of the battalion protecting Ashraf to forced leave so that they would not get information on the details of this assault and its perpetrators. On Saturday night, Jamil Shemeri got himself stationed in Ashraf to command and oversee the operation.

3. Following the September 1 massacre, Shemeri briefed all police and army forces in Ashraf to state that they are not aware of the massacre and the attack on Ashraf.

4. A group of eight, expert in explosives, were taken from the prime ministry in Baghdad to Ashraf a few hours before the assault in two taxis that belong to Iraqi security organs. They were briefed by the intelligence to begin the operation.

5. Beside exploding many vehicles, trailers, rooms and other facilities in Ashraf, the assaulting force planted explosives on many vehicles to be detonated from remote distance.

6. As advised by regime’s ambassador in Baghdad, Jamil Shemeri asked a judge in Khalis town to issue a warrant for him and his forces to enter Ashraf so that his suppressive measures and the slaughter of residents would have judicial backing as well. The judge had agreed to issue the warrant.

7. A day prior to the assault (August 31), a meeting was held at the police headquarters in Khalis where Commander of Diyala Police, Commander of Diyala Operations, Commander of the 5th Division stationed in Diyala, and the Commander of the protective force in Ashraf participated. In the meeting, several military and security commanders from Baghdad also participated, but they wore plainclothes to hide their identities. In the meeting, Staff Brigadier General Ragheb Hamid Abbas, Commander of Diyala Federal Police; Colonel Anwar Shemeri, Commander of SWAT forces in Diyala; and Ghassan al-Khazran, director of Khalis police, were also present.

8. Lieutenant General Ali Ghaidan, Commander of Iraqi Army, participated in that meeting via telephone communication and issued final orders for the attack. Ghaidan has been summoned by the Spanish National Court for his role as commander of the April 8 massacre in Ashraf.

9. Brigadier General Ragheb Hamid is from the IRGC 9 Badr group and because of his active role in the slaughter of Hawija, he was elevated to brigadier general.